USAID holds pan-Afican conference on shea in Abuja

The United States Aids Agency (USAID) will hold the annual shea industry conference in Abuja from Monday to Wednesday.

Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, who is expected at the conference, said: “We’re very excited to host Shea 2013 in Abuja. Nigeria welcomes stakeholders with open arms and assures you of our support and an exceptional experience in an important part of the shea world.”

The conference will address the economic, social and environmental aspects of shea. Speakers will discuss virtually all aspects of the business today: sourcing logistics, quality regulation, processing innovations, business modelling, social accountability, sustainability marketing, cosmetic formulation, soap-making, biodiversity and parkland enrichment, and much more.

More than 15 million women across West Africa participate directly in the shea industry – millions collect shea nuts across the savannah area stretching from Senegal to Uganda and South Sudan, the three million square-kilometre “shea zone.”

Millions make shea butter that millions more West Africans consume daily – in food and skin care products, said USAID.

“Shea is critical to the livelihoods of millions of women in West Africa,” said Eugenia Akuete, president of the Global Shea Alliance.